SBWF is very
pleased to announce that the Governent's Planning
Inspector has today, (March 9th 2012), dismissed
Broadview's appeal to overturn Huntingdon District
Council's (HDC) decision to refuse planning permission for
the proposed Bicton Wind Farm.
Founding Chairman of SBWF Richard
Murphy and current Chairman Martin Patterson said:
“We are both delighted by this result. It has
vindicated HDC’s own planning guidance, English
Heritage's objection and has found, as we have always
maintained, that the harm of this development would
outweigh any benefits.
There are many people to thank and this result would not
have been possible without the support of the Parish
& District Councils & MPs Shailesh Vara and
Jonathan Djanogly. But thanks most of all goes local
residents who selflessly gave time, energy and money to
highlight the inappropriate nature of this planned
development”
Developers Broadview have 6 weeks from the date of the
appeal decision to decide whether or not to challenge
the decision in the High Court. A challenge can only be
made on a point of law. If such a challenge is
successful, a new Public Inquiry would be held under a
different Planning Inspector. We believe a challenge is
unlikely but not impossible. We will of course keep you
updated on any developments. The 6 weeks ends on April
20th 2012.
To read the Inspector's decision in full click
here:
Any donations you can make to help with the final costs of this campaign would be gratefully received. Please
click here for more details
SBWF – Appeal Update 27th
August 2011
In its second week, the Inquiry addressed issues of cultural
heritage and the impact of the proposed development on Kimbolton
Castle, the Castle Gatehouse, St Andrews Church in Kimbolton,
All Saints Church in Tilbrook and local conservation areas. A
number of our lay witnesses appeared, as well as the Parish
Council Chairs for Kimbolton & Stonely, Tilbrook and Stow
Longa, to talk about the impact of the development on homes,
local residents and schools. The issue of noise was also
discussed.
The Inquiry’s timetable changed a number of times during the
second week with the result that the Inquiry was adjourned on
Friday 26th August rather than continuing to 31st August as
originally planned.
In September, the Inspector will make two site visits– to gain
his personal impressions of the impact on cultural heritage and
residential amenity.
The Inquiry will then resume sitting on December 20th when
issues of planning will be addressed. The venue of the December
sitting is yet to be confirmed.
Inevitably, the extension of the Inquiry will escalate our costs
and we are still gratefully accepting donations.
There remains much crucial evidence to be heard and we are still
a long way from a decision. But we are certain that our decision
to employ a barrister and expert witnesses was the right one. In
the formal processes of a Public Inquiry, such experienced
professionals have been invaluable.
SBWF – Appeal Update 23rd August 2011
We would dearly like to be able to update you on a daily basis but with time and resources stretched to the maximum, we hope that this, the first weekly update, will go some way to apprising you of developments.
The Inquiry opened on Tuesday 16th August at Huntingdon District Council’s (HDC’s) Pathfinder House, with various procedural matters clarified or confirmed and some re-timetabling issues addressed.
The most pertinent of these for the local community is that one of the council’s officers is unable to attend any of the Inquiry in August due to unforeseen personal circumstances. This has meant that the part of the Inquiry which is to deal with planning has had to be adjourned until December – the earliest possible month when all parties are able to reconvene. As a result, we will not know the outcome of the Inquiry until sometime in the early months of 2012.
In the meantime, the Inquiry will address all other matters, of landscape, cultural heritage, residential amenity, noise and conditions in the August sitting.
The opening days of the Inquiry dealt with landscape issues, particularly with the landscape as defined in Huntingdon District Council’s (HDC’s) own policy on wind farm development which states that developers should “avoid locating turbines within the more intimate landscape of the valleys and along valley crests where they will be out of scale with the landscape and settlements such as Kimbolton.”
The Action Group team have also queried the accuracy of a number of photo-montages supplied by the developers and as a result at least one of these has had to be corrected and re-submitted to the Inquiry.
It is cheering that a number of our arguments have been acknowledged but it is impossible to gauge how this might affect the eventual outcome of the Inquiry. There is a long way to go.
This week, the Inquiry is dealing with cultural heritage and the impact of the proposed development on Kimbolton Castle, the Castle Gatehouse, St Andrews Church in Kimbolton, All Saints Church in Tilbrook and local conservation areas. The impact of the development on homes, local residents and schools will also be addressed. Eight lay witnesses called by SBWF, a number of them from the local community, will also appear before the Inquiry. We will confirm the date of this part of the Inquiry as soon as we are able.
Do remember, the Public Inquiry is open to all and you do not have to commit yourself to being there for a full day. The Inquiry sits every weekday except Mondays from about 10.00am to 5.00pm with an hour’s break for lunch at about 1.00pm. However, last minute change to the time-table can occur, so you are advised to call the council offices in the morning if you want to confirm that the Inquiry is sitting:
Venue: The Civic Suite, Pathfinder House, St Mary’s Street, Huntingdon, PE29 3TN
Tel. 01480 388 388
Report from The Hunts Post on 17 August 2011
TV news coverage
of the start of the Public Inquiry on the 16th August 2011.
Disclaimer
Please note that the content of this web site represents the views and opinions of the STOP BICTON ACTION GROUP. Although we have tried to be as accurate as we can in relaying facts on the subject of this proposed development and the wind power industry in general, we cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies found therein. If you believe any content to be incorrect or inaccurate please let us know.
